US aviation watchdog orders review of Boeing 787s

The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has ordered a review of electrical systems in Boeing's new 787 Dreamliner in the wake of a series of incidents such as a battery fire involving a Japanese airline earlier this week in Boston.

A year after the FAA completed evaluation of the technologically advanced aircraft, the authority today said it would now review on the 787's design, manufacturing and assembly to examine critical electrical systems as well as other quality-control issues.

''We are concerned about recent events involving the Boeing 787,'' Ray LaHood, the transportation secretary, told a press conference in Washington. ''We will look for the root causes of the recent events and do everything we can to ensure these events don't happen again.''

FAA administrator Michael P Huerta said the review would focus on the electrical systems of the airplane, including the batteries and power distribution systems.

The news comes after airlines eager to fly an airplane that promises significant fuel savings waited for years and have now started operating the aircraft.

Boeing has delivered 50 of the airplanes since November 2011 and eight airlines, including All Nippon Airways and Japan Airlines, Air India, Ethiopian Airlines, Chile's LAN Airlines, Poland's LOT, Qatar Airways and United Airlines, are flying the 787s.